Episode 46

We begin this week's episode with DERRICK. He is in his room with JUNE and his father, LOWELL DODGE. CARYN has just walked in.

DERRICK - June, did you just call me baby?

(JUNE grabs DERRICK's hand.)

JUNE - Baby, I remember all that you said about your father. I know how that void has been in your life. But I also know how much you want to play in the NBA. You can buy your mother that house. You can...

(CARYN uses her key and walks in.)

(silence)

DERRICK thinks - Oh shit!

CARYN - What the hell is going on in here?

DERRICK - Caryn...uh...

LOWELL - Hello Caryn. I was just talking to my son about his options for the future. How are you hon?

(CARYN speaks to LOWELL while staring at JUNE.)

CARYN - I am fine Mr. Dodge. How are you?

LOWELL - Blessed and highly favored.

CARYN - So Derrick, what is...she...doing here?

JUNE - I have to run Derrick. I will talk to you la...

DERRICK - No wait. Don't leave.

JUNE - No really. I think it is better if I go.

CARYN - You got that right!

(JUNE looks at CARYN and smiles as she walks past her.)

CARYN - Aint nothing funny!

DERRICK thinks - Must this chick be so ghetto?

DERRICK - Let me walk you out June.

JUNE - It was nice to meet you Mr. Dodge.

LOWELL - It was my pleasure June. Take care hon.

(JUNE shakes LOWELL's hand and DERRICK walks toward the door.)

DERRICK whispers - I am sorry you have to leave so soon.

JUNE whispers - Yeah, it was good to see you.

(DERRICK peeks over his shoulder to make sure that CARYN cannot hear him.)

DERRICK - June, I really wish you didn't have to leave. There is so much I need to talk to you about. I am so confused, and...I am scared. I don't know what I should do and just being with you again, just for a few minutes. It has been the one thing that I have needed.

(JUNE pouts.)

JUNE - Listen Derrick. Is there any way you can be alone in an hour?

DERRICK - Anything for you.

JUNE - Okay. If you can get alone, meet me at my place in one hour okay? Maybe I can help.

DERRICK - Okay. I will be there, no doubt.

CARYN - Derrick! I need some help with the baby!

DERRICK - Listen, I gotta go. But I will definitely see you in an hour.

(DERRICK opens the door.)

JUNE - Okay, I will see you then.

DERRICK - Ok bye...baby.

(JUNE smiles.)

JUNE - Bye bye.

(DERRICK closes the door behind JUNE.)

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DONTE is at home watching the game. The phone rings.

DONTE - House of Alpha.

MAX - Good grief Donte, quit being so corny!

DONTE - Max?

MAX - Yeah, what's up man?

DONTE - Hey soror. How you girl?

MAX - I am cool. You busy?

DONTE - Naw, what's up soror?

MAX - Uh Donte, I think I need to talk to you.

DONTE - Okay, what's the deal Miss Pink Lady?

MAX - Uh yeah. Donte, let me ask you a question. Um...is Alpha your entire existence?

DONTE - Huh?

MAX - Donte, all you seem to think about, talk about, and live about is Alpha.

DONTE - That's not true.

MAX - Yes it is. You are way too serious about the frat and AKA. Do you want to be fraternity president or something?

DONTE - Ha ha ha ha, Max, what is this all about?

MAX - I just think you may have your priorities mixed up and it is hurting you as well as others. And I care.

DONTE - What are you talking about?

(silence)

MAX - Look Donte. I am only telling you this because I really care okay?

DONTE - Okay, what's up?

MAX - Promise you won't get mad.

DONTE - Okay I promise.

MAX - I'm serious. This stays between me and you.

DONTE - Okay fine, what's up? What are you talking about?

MAX - Well, I happen to know why you are not graduating. I know that you are staying at Ahpla to stay close to Octavia. And while I applaud your chivalry, you are not considering your own career and how this will affect Octavia. She is crying her eyes out over this because she really thinks highly of you. But she is going to leave you because her career is very important to her and she thinks that you guys are not compatible when it comes to that.

DONTE - How do you know this?

MAX - You promised you wouldn't get mad.

DONTE - How do you know Max?

(silence)

MAX - Wil told me.

DONTE - Wil told you what Max?

MAX - Wil told me that you are staying here for Octavia. But I am telling you that that is a mistake and if you are doing it to be closer to Octavia, it is actually going to drive her farther away. Understand?

(silence)

MAX - Donte?

DONTE - Max, I'll talk to you later.

MAX - Wait, Donte! I didn't tell you this so you could get mad at Wil. He cares about you too and he only wanted...

DONTE - I asked Wil not to tell anyone! This is not Wil's business and it really isn't yours!

MAX - I understand that and that is true Donte. But do you understand what you are doing? Do you understand what you are throwing away? You are going to lose the one reason you are trying to stay!

DONTE - That is my business and my decision!

MAX - Donte I just want to...

DONTE - Max, I will talk to you later. Thanks, but no thanks for your advice!

MAX - But...

DONTE - Later Max.

MAX - Okay okay. Good bye, but understand that I am not trying to make you upset or to put Wil out there. I just care. About Octavia and you.

DONTE - Thanks. I'll talk to you later.

MAX - Okay.

(They hang up.)

DONTE thinks - Shit!

(DONTE dials.)

WIL - Hello?

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(An hour later.)

CARYN - What do you mean you have to go? You have to go where? Where the hell are you going?

DERRICK - I am going to play a pick up game.

CARYN - At the gym?

DERRICK - No, at the park.

CARYN - I want to go!

DERRICK - No, stay home for once.

CARYN - When did you become my daddy?

DERRICK - Look, you are always dragging Lil Derrick around. Why don't you relax. I got some new dvd's. Pop one of them in and order a pizza.

CARYN - You gonna pay for it?

(DERRICK grabs his wallet.)

DERRICK - Here. Here twenty should do it.

CARYN - Twenty? I can't call Dominoe's for twenty bucks! What the hell?

DERRICK - Damn! Here, take ten more!

(CARYN smiles.)

CARYN - Have fun at your game.

DERRICK - Uh huh.

(DERRICK leaves and gets in his car.)

DERRICK thinks - I wonder what me and June are gonna talk about. Damn, this should be good. I miss June. I wonder if she misses me too.

(DERRICK pulls up at a red light.)

DERRICK thinks - I know she misses me. She called ma baby. I never thought I would hear that again. I thought that I was over her, but the minute she called me that, I felt it again.

(DERRICK takes off again and turns the radio up.)

DERRICK thinks - But what the hell was up with her and Buck? That shit pisses me off! She fell for that nigga and she knows that I hate his ass!

(DERRICK drives through a stop sign and slams on the breaks as a car blows it's horn.)

DERRICK - Sorry about that!

DRIVER - Asshole!

DERRICK - Yeah, God bless you too!

DERRICK thinks - Damn, I need to calm down before I kill myself! Forget Buck's punk no playing ass. I am just happy to be going to see June again.

(DERRICK pulls up at JUNE's dorm.)

DERRICK - I wonder what she is going to talk to me about? All of this pressure from Lowell and the NBA, and Caryn. This will be real nice. Just to sit back and talk to my girl. I mean...my ex girl.

(DERRICK gets out of the car and walks up to the dorm.)

DERRICK thinks - I would much rather take advice from June then from Lowell or Coach. June really knows my heart. Damn, I really miss her.

(DERRICK goes up the elevator and gets to JUNE's door.)

DERRICK thinks - Here I am. Let's see what happens!

(DERRICK knocks on the door. The door opens.)

JUNE - Hey.

DERRICK - Hi.

(JUNE hugs DERRICK.)

JUNE - I hope I didn't inconvenience you. I know you were busy with everyone. But I thought you may have needed a different environment and a different voice of advice to help clear your head.

DERRICK - You know me so well. That is exactly what I need. Thank you.

JUNE - Good. Well come on in.

(DERRICK smiles as he steps inside. He then stops in his tracks as he sees who is sitting on JUNE's bed.)

DERRICK - Mom?

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JERREL has just arrived at MONA's house.

JERRELL - Hey, are you Mona? Because if so, you are just the person I am told that I need to see!

MONA - Yeah I am Mona. And who are you handsome?

JERREL - I'm Jerrel. I just transferred to Ahpla.

MONA - Well welcome welcome welcome! Come on in!

(JERREL goes inside and sees THERESA.)

JERREL - Hello.

THERESA - Hi how are you?

THERESA thinks - Damn, he is kinda fine.

MONA - This is my friend Theresa. Theresa, this is Jerrel. He is a new student on campus.

THERESA - Pleased to meet you.

JERREL - Nice to meet you too.

THERESA - He is fine like Jason!

MONA - So Jerrel, what can I do for you? You said you heard of me? You need someone shot?

(THERESA laughs.)

JERREL - No no. Nothing that bad at all. The word on campus is that you are the person to speak to when it comes to problems with greeks.

MONA - Problems with greeks?

JERREL - Let's just say that I have heard that you are known to put people in their places.

(MONA smiles.)

MONA - Okay, my reputation preceeds me! Ha ha ha!

JERREL - Yeah.

MONA - So what is it I can do for you in that regard?

JERREL - I seem to have run into a little problem with the Alphas.

MONA - The Alphas?

JERREL - Yeah. One of the Alphas got into a scuffle with me at Pharoahs. I was just trying to talk things out with him and he hit me. It was on from there!

MONA - What? When was this? Which Alpha?

JERREL - I forget his name, but I know he just pledged on the last line that crossed.

THERESA - Jason?

JERREL - I don't know. Describe Jason.

THERESA - Fine! Fine! Fine!

MONA - Shut up Theresa!

JERREL - No, it was the joker guy. The one who is always making smart ass remarks.

MONA - Oh that is Larry.

JERREL - Yeah, that's him!

MONA - Larry is my boy. I mean, me and Larry are cool.

JERREL - Oh yeah, well he may not be such a friend after I tell you some of the things that he said about you and your process.

MONA - What? What did he say?

JERREL - He told me that you skated, that you don't deserve your shit and that all other Alphas and AKAs should avoid you.

MONA - What!

THERESA - He said all that?

JERREL - Yep.

MONA - That is hard to believe.

JERREL - I have no reason to lie to you. I didn't come here to tell you that. I came here for your help. So why would I lie?

MONA - Yeah, that's true.

JERREL - So will you help me?

(silence)

MONA thinks - Damn, Larry is cool. But if he said all those things about me, then fuck him.

MONA - Sure I'll help. What do you need for me to do?

JERREL - Good. First, I need for you to help me find some of my boys. I need some back up with this plan.

MONA - Your boys?

JERREL - Yeah. The bruhs. I pledged Omega at Southern University and I need to find the Ques!